Box Score
POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State softball team hung with Minnesota from the Big Ten Conference but in the end lost 7-4 in the final day of the Arizona Wildcat Invitational in Tucson on Sunday morning. The Bengals are now 4-9 with a tournament at Fresno State this upcoming weekend.
Idaho State scored its four runs on seven hits but did commit four errors in the field while Minnesota had seven runs on 10 hits and two errors.
Amanda Fitzsimmons and
Christina Rayner led ISU at the plate as Rayner was 2-for-3 with one RBI and Fitzsimmons was 2-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored.
Brittany Olsin and
Jessica Baca each had a hit and an RBI.
"
Jessica Baca had a great tournament," Idaho State coach
Julie Wright said. "She is really showing a ton of leadership and heart. I was pleased with the team's fight. We don't quit and that will take us a long way. We must improve on the defensive side of the ball. Our mistakes are passive and that won't help us win ball games. Overall we definitely took steps forward from this weekend."
Kandis Clesson suffered the loss as she pitched 2.1 innings and allowed four hits and three runs.
Minnesota jumped on the scoreboard first with three runs in the third inning. ISU then answered with two runs in the top of the fourth inning. The scoring started when Fitzsimmons knocked double to left field. A batter later with one out, Baca singled home Fitzsimmons for the first Bengal run of the game. Then with two outs Baca later scored on an RBI single to center field by Rayner.
The Gophers did answer with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning but ISU came back in the top of fifth with two more runs, all coming with two outs.
Desirae Hoffman started the scoring with a single to right field and Fitzsimmons followed with her second double of the game, scoring Hoffman. Olsin then had an infield single that platted Fitzsimmons, bring Idaho State with two runs at 6-4. Minnesota scored its final run in the sixth inning.
Idaho State returns to the field March 10-13 where it will play seven games in four days at the Fresno State Bayer Crop Science Classic. The Bengals will go up against Troy, Drake, Bradley and Fresno State.
www.isubengals.com
